Dental Tips Blog

What is cosmetic dentistry? Is it worth the cost? Should you give it a try?

Cosmetic Dentistry Includes More Than Teeth

Crowns, veneers, and dental bonding are all well-known cosmetic procedures. But some cosmetic dentists offer orthodontia, gum shaping, and even Botox to supplement a smile makeover. You might be surprised at the options available to you.

Cosmetic Dentistry Doesn’t Necessarily Repair Teeth…

The goal of cosmetic dentistry is to enhance the look of your smile. It isn’t considered necessary or therapeutic. Most aesthetic procedures have little to no effect on improving the structure or integrity of a tooth, or for treating active oral disease.

…But Cosmetic Dentistry Can Have Restorative Benefits

There are plenty of dental procedures that have both functional and cosmetic benefits. Dental crowns, for example, can both improve a tooth’s appearance and restore it after it’s damaged. Implants serve the dual purpose of filling a gap in the smile and restoring bite function.

Cosmetic Dentistry Isn’t Always Covered by Insurance

Because cosmetic procedures aren’t medically-necessary to your health, most dental insurance plans won’t cover them. You have to be prepared to shoulder the expense.

Cosmetic Dentistry Can Improve Your Oral Hygiene

Whether you choose to upgrade your smile with a little bleaching or a set of veneers, cosmetic dentistry will help boost your confidence. It’s not just an investment in your teeth…it’s an investment in your lifestyle.

Aesthetic dentistry is the perfect gift to yourself or a family member. To find which treatment is right for you, schedule a smile consultation with a cosmetic dentist in your area.

Did you ever look in the mirror and wish that you could change the tiniest thing in your smile? Maybe it’s the color of your teeth. Is there a gap you’d like to close? Or you wish there was some way to change the size of your teeth.

Whatever the reason, a change to your smile may be easier than you imagine. Give dental veneers a try!

How to Wear Veneers

First of all, let your dentist know that you’re interested in veneers. He or she will set you up with a consultation. You’ll get to design how many teeth you would like to “fix” with a veneer. This includes selecting size, shape, material, and color.

Your existing teeth will be prepped and a mold or template created based on an impression of them. The new veneers are created in a dental lab. Once they’re made to suit your preference, your dentist will cement them into place over your prepared teeth.

The result? One or more beautifully-shaped teeth as seen from the front!

What to Expect with Veneers

Veneers are basically false-fronts that let you keep and enhance your natural teeth. They’re a conservative alternative to full dental crowns, in terms of aesthetics.

Dental veneers can transform an adult’s smile instantly. Veneers even out the spaces between teeth, create a uniform color, and smooth out areas that are chipped.

Just about anyone with a permanent set of teeth is a candidate for veneers. To find out whether veneers are right for you as well, plan a visit to your local dentist.

Porcelain veneers are recommended to correct a variety of cosmetic issues: whether it’s a chipped incisor or a twisted front tooth, an unsightly gap or some deep stain, a veneer can improve your smile in many ways. Where exactly did veneers get their start?

Just For Looks!

Around the late 1920’s, a dentist named Dr. Charles Pincus designed a method for improving or altering the smiles of actors onscreen. However, these acrylic veneers were not very realistic in appearance, and they only stayed on temporarily. By the early 1960’s, Dr. Michael Bunacore discovered the method for etching tooth surfaces with acid to promote adhesion, opening the way for more lasting veneers.

Making Veneers Last

In the year 1982, R.J. Simonsen and J.R. Calamia discovered that hydrofluoric acid worked wonders in fastening veneers to teeth more effectively than anything tried before. This discovery marked a change in the history of dental veneers. Now, they are no longer limited to use in film, but they are available as a cosmetic option to virtually anyone who wants them.

The Porcelain Veneers of Today

Because of their durability and natural appearance, veneers today are esteemed as smile-changers. Porcelain veneers are now very thin and lightweight, providing a natural feel with minimal reduction of natural tooth structure.

Porcelain veneers have come a long way since their glamorous beginning in Hollywood. Offering dental veneers is now standard in a cosmetic dental office.. Veneers are no longer reserved just for the million-dollar smiles you see on television. Ask your dentist about how dental veneers can enhance your smile, too!

Dental veneers are often the ideal choice for improving the appearance of the front of the teeth. Many people cannot afford expensive orthodontic treatment, or they simply want a faster route to improving their smile’s appearance. Dental veneers are a great option for most people. Veneers are ultra thin shells of porcelain or composite resin material that are bonded to the front of the teeth. Veneers can hide imperfections such as stains, gaps in the teeth, and slightly crooked teeth.

Teeth must be prepared in order for the placement of veneers. The teeth are lightly buffed to allow for the slight thickness that the veneers will add to the teeth. Usually about half of a millimeter is removed from the teeth, and this may require the use of an anesthetic. After the teeth are prepared, the dentist will carefully bond and sculpt the composite resin material onto the teeth.

For patients who are having porcelain veneers, a mold will be taken of the teeth and sent off to a laboratory for fabrication. But the bonding procedure is relatively the same. The color of the teeth can be adjusted with the shade of the cement used to attach the veneers. So when you try on your veneers before final placement, pay special attention to their color as this is the only point in which their color can be altered. Once they are ready, the teeth will be cleaned thoroughly with specific chemicals to achieve a strong bond. The cement will be applied, the veneers will be placed, and a special light will be used to cure the bond between the veneer and the teeth.

Patients are often amazed at the immediate improvement of their smile. For a week or two, people may have to get used to the feel of their new teeth, and they will see their dentist for a follow up appointment to check on the placement and bonding. With proper oral hygiene of brushing and flossing daily, dental veneers can last for a long time and give you the smile you have always wanted.

Dental veneers are probably the quickest and most effective way to achieve that perfect smile that so many aspire to have. It is no wonder, then, that they are often sought out by actors, models and others who are especially conscientious about their appearance.

A dental veneer is a thin layer of porcelain that is bonded to the tooth with adhesive, and designed to enhance the appearance of the tooth and smile. It is usually a procedure done by a dentist specializing in cosmetic dentistry.

What kinds of problems do veneers fix?

Veneers are designed to cosmetically enhance the smile. That said, they can cover badly stained teeth, chipped or broken teeth or gaps in the teeth. What they won’t do is stop tooth decay or other diseases of the mouth.

How are dental veneers applied?

After the dentist has done a thorough evaluation of your teeth and corrected any problems such as cavities, he will take then take a photo or x-ray of your mouth and begin work on creating your veneer. Each veneer is a work of art, really, because it is fine tuned to match your teeth, while enhancing your smile cosmetically.

On the second visit, the dentist will apply the veneer with a special long-lasting adhesive after first removing a small amount of the tooth enamel.

How long do they last?

If cared for properly, dental veneers can last 15 years to a lifetime. They require the same care as natural teeth, but can be damaged by excessive abrasion.

Are they expensive?

It depends on how extensively they are used in the mouth, but generally speaking veneers are among the most expensive dental procedure there is, even more expensive than braces. This is due to their durability and the precision with which they are made.

What are dental veneers? They are very thin (fingernail width) shells of tooth colored porcelain or resin composite material shaped to cover the front surface of your teeth for improved appearance. They are more for cosmetic purposes than functional, since they are usually used to cover up stained or discolor teeth, as well as hide irregularities such as teeth that are worn down from grinding, chipped, broken, misaligned or irregularly shaped. Porcelain veneers resist stains and, like natural teeth, seem to have light reflecting properties, as opposed to resin veneers. However, less of the natural tooth surface needs to be removed in order to attach resin veneers because they are thinner.

Veneers provide a natural tooth appearance and gum tissue seems to tolerate the material well. On the downside, veneers are costly, irreversible and irreparable. The color may not accurately match the rest of your teeth and cannot be changed once they are in place. Since some of the natural tooth enamel is removed to create room and bonding for the veneer, teeth may be sensitive to hot or cold temperatures. Teeth covered with veneers can still experience decay and may require further treatment in the future such as a root canal or crown. Therefore, veneers are not a good choice for those who have unhealthy teeth or gums, nor are they a viable option for those who have a tendency to clench or grind their teeth.

Veneers generally can last from 5 to 10 years. Composite bondings or crowns can be a feasible alternative to veneers. Your dentist will discuss with you the goals you wish to achieve and make sure that dental veneers are the best option for your individual needs.

Dental veneers are a popular cosmetic dental procedure. Dental veneers are thin porcelain shells that are bonded to the front surface of the patient’s teeth to improve the appearance of the tooth. Veneers can be a very effective option for many cosmetic issues.

Veneers are an excellent choice for correcting discolored teeth that do not respond well to bleaching or whitening. Teeth that are darkened or discolored due to stains on the interior of the tooth rather than on the surface generally cannot be bleached with teeth whitening products. For example, teeth that have turned gray due to tetracycline will not respond to teeth whitening. Veneers work well to hide these types of dark or stained teeth.

Veneers are also often used as an alternative to orthodontics for moderately misaligned teeth. Veneers can be shaped so that the teeth appear straight without the time, discomfort, and hassle of braces. With veneers, the patient does not have to wear a retainer to maintain the position of their teeth.

Veneers can fill in gaps between teeth and provide length and fullness to short or misshapen teeth. If the teeth are severely worn, a cap or crown may be a better choice than veneers.

Results are immediate and often dramatic with veneers. Placement generally takes two visits to your cosmetic dentist. During the first visit, your cosmetic dentist will prepare the surface of your teeth and take an impression which will be sent to a lab where the veneers will be made. Once the veneers are ready, a second appointment is scheduled and the veneers are bonded to the teeth. You will walk out of the dentist’s office after the second appointment with your dazzling new smile.

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